Dilip Ghosh Defends Bengal’s Traditions Amid Durga Puja Food Debate

Kolkata: BJP leader and West Bengal minister Dilip Ghosh has defended Bengal’s traditional food and religious practices amid the ongoing controversy over remarks by Bageshwar Dham Peethadhishwar Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, who had urged people to avoid non-vegetarian food during Durga Puja. Ghosh said Bengal has its own distinct cultural traditions, pointing to the long-standing worship of Goddess Kali, animal sacrifice at certain temples and the practice of offering meat and fish as prasad in some religious traditions. He said dietary choices should remain a matter of individual preference and that traditions should not be imposed from outside. His remarks came after Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya also defended Bengali culinary traditions, intensifying the political debate over food, faith and cultural identity ahead of Durga Puja.